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Features

Bright and early on the Fourth of July, fine Americans from every walk, trot, gallop and dash of life put their feet to the street as Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice kicked off its 33rd annual Freedom Run 5K.

Evergreen resident Jack Holbrook had a typical work-from-home job — he talked with customers on the phone and worked on his computer for his job at the Electrical Construction Co. in Hawaii.

The problem was, Holbrook didn’t really like working from his home. He went from working at a busy office in Hawaii to working at home in Evergreen, and he wanted to interact with co-workers. He also wanted to be able to meet with people and socialize after work.

Amateur astronomers were treated to views of Mars, Saturn and the International Space Station last Saturday at Staunton State Park.

Pam Little, astronomer and assistant director of the Evergreen Nature Center, led more than 20 attendees in a viewing of the night sky. Little handed out materials and showed everyone how to make a star clock.

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WEDNESDAY

Chamber’s Marketing Committee to meet

The Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce’s Marketing Committee will meet from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, at the chamber office on Stagecoach Boulevard. If you are interested in joining, call 303-673-3412.

Former Inter-Canyon fire chief David MacBean blames a lack of oversight and his own personal problems for stealing $647,000 from the district.

In an exclusive interview with the Courier, MacBean, who pleaded guilty in April to two counts of theft and one of embezzlement, also said the nominal stipend he received as chief led him to resent the job, and to use the district credit card “to surround myself with stuff.”

Kai Bianco is being called a “miracle baby” by Evergreen Fire/Rescue paramedics and Flight for Life personnel.

Kai, who turned 1 on Saturday, was bitten in the head by the family dog on March 4. Not only did he survive, but according to his parents, he’s back to doing everything he was doing before the accident: pulling himself up to standing, babbling like babies do, and feeding himself.

The cloudy skies parted Saturday long enough for the first patriotic Field of Honor ceremony to take place at the Evergreen Elks Lodge.

Elks Lodge 2363, with the assistance of Evergreen’s American Legion Post 2001, dedicated 60 flags honoring servicemen and women as a precursor to Memorial Day. The flags, which can be seen from Fireweed Drive, will be flown until June 8.

For firefighter Craig O’Connell, working as a volunteer for the Evergreen Fire Department was all about the camaraderie.

While it might sound like a cliché, the friendship and loyalty kindled among volunteer firefighters can’t be beat, said O’Connell, who was honored April 28 for serving for 26 years as a volunteer firefighter, including three as volunteer chief of the department. He currently works as a paid staffer and paramedic at South Metro Fire Rescue in Littleton.

Matilda, a hearing assistance dog, knows what to do when people call Evergreen resident Kyle Walpole’s name or knock on his door at home or at work.

Matilda “alerts” to the sound, then nudges Walpole in the leg and leads him to the source, he said. Walpole was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease in the 1990s and is hearing impaired. If someone is at the door, the black Labrador retriever leads Walpole there. If Walpole drops his keys, Matilda can lead him to them as well.